Prince of the Goblins
by JTheGoblinKing
Summary: An origin story.


Disclaimer: The following is an old Labyrinth fan fiction I wrote for a Labyrinth fan fiction group years. Labyrinth belongs to Henson. Most, if not all, of the Labyrinth fan fiction I am going to post here is at least ten years old, if not older. You will see the original dates they were written placed into these documents. These fan fictions predate the canon of Return to Labyrinth.

Written back when I used the alias Raven.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 1

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 13:39:47 EDT

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This is my first real fan fiction so if I mess this up please let me know.

Raven

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Prince of the goblins

(Disclaimer: Jareth as a character is the property of The Henson company.

David Bowie portrays the image of Jareth as seen in the film Labyrinth,

released in 1986 by the Embassy Company.

The sound track title tracks are legally the property of David Bowie, EMI

and Embassy home entertainment.

Sarah as a character is the property of Terry Jones, Brian Froud and The

Jim Henson Company. Jennifer Connelley portrayed Sarah William's in the film

Labyrinth released by The Embassy company.

All characters in connection and or relation to Labyrinth are property of

Embassy Home entertainment, Beunivista pictures, EMI, MPI, Tri-Star, Disney,

Henson, Terry Jones, and Brian Froud. Also it is owned by George Lucas, The

Jim Henson Company, (Mainly Jim Henson home entertainment) and Henry Holt &

company, Marvel comic books incorporated and Graphic novels, plus White Owl

Press. (Novelization companies.)

The characters of Grall, Sarah Macoowie (not Williams), Jareth's parents,

horse and acquaintances and myself though connected to Labyrinth are not

actually owned by anyone but myself. This is so unless of course I decide to

publish this in which case it would be a mess of red tape and buying and

selling of character designs and or images. The transfer of ownership would

be Hell so this is staying in non-published format with no legal copyright so

do what the Hell you want with this. I won't drag you to court though the

Henson company would. I have better things to do and more original ideas to

play with. I belong to myself and the name Raven at the moment is mine

unless I choose to say otherwise.

All writers and fantasy works mentioned within are given at there place

due notification of ownership in the fiction.

Most characters in here are fictitious and any similarity between people

living or did is purely coincidental.

Ok, I believe this counts as a legal disclaimer, now let's begin, shall

we…)

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Prince of the Goblins

By Raven

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 1: Underground

The year was eight hundred and eighty six AD. It was in Scotland that a

Celtic tribe lived. It was a small group of people who practiced the ancient

ways of the goddess.

(Now I think I should say now that the Celtic translation of "Jareth"

means: One with abnormalities or problems of The Genitalia.)

A rich settler from the outskirts of Britannia had come here from a far

over two decades ago to help with the secret preservation of the ancient

beliefs against the knowledge of the Christian church who had been attempting

to convert these people to the beliefs of the majority. It was the will of

god, or so they said.

Now this rich man was here to help preserve the dying beliefs for the

future generations of this ancient tribe. The Christians had called what

these people did a sacrilege but then again was it not sacrilege against

these people to denounce their beliefs?

This rich foreigner's son, Jareth was turning twenty-one today.

Jareth had spent his whole life here in the bosom of the tribe with his

Celtic mother's family and his British father and he knew very little about

the outside world. Jareth's mother had died giving birth to him. His

mother's family had considered him his mother's last great achievement in

life and loved him dearly. His father had often told him that he was

destined for greatness but Jareth did not care.

Jareth had a fondness for music like no other boy. He knew how to play

the harp, the lute, and the horn. He could sing and dance as well as any and

yet there always had seemed a great magick to the way Jareth could sing as if

his voice could entrance and enthrall another.

He had a voice like no other but perhaps that was do to his inherent

combination of cultures. But what all the people of this little tribe knew

was that there was something very odd and yet very special about this boy and

it was definitely not just do to his culturally diverse up bringing.

Now near the shore line where this small tribal village existed there was

a great cliff and if one was to dare climb down about twenty or so feet you

would come across a group of very old, ancient deep caves set in to the Earth.

Often the daredevil, Jareth would slip away in the dead of night from his

father's home and climb down this dangerous cliff line and slip away into the

caves.

Jareth was a charming young man. He had long blond hair. Now for some

strange reason Jareth had one overly dilated greenish brown eye and one not

so dilated blue eye that was as deep and as cold as the ocean waves. Some

said that his mismatched eyes were a sign of magick in his blood.

Jareth was tall and thin.

He was a very attractive young man and yet something was always the

matter. He was never happy, that boy that Jareth was.

He hated his father and he hated his home. Though he was never

mistreated by anyone, he simply did not like the way of his life much. He

always longed for something more out of life though he was never quite sure

what it was that he was always searching for in life that seemed so

desperately important. He held within him a restless soul. He could not

help that.

Jareth was restless; he was born hungry. And lately he had been having

the most peculiar dreams about wandering a maze of walls, covered in bloodied

thorned vines as serpents slithered around his feet in this nightmarish night

time plane. He dreamt of being lost in a great Labyrinth and he did not know

what to make of these odd dreams.

Now it was his Birthday and so he cautiously slipped away when his father

and friends were not looking and he slipped away to the caves to meet with

his secret love, Sarah MacCoowie. He loved Sarah dearly and she was very

special to him.

Sarah was eighteen. She had long brown hair that curled down her back. She

had green eyes that were as big and as bright as those of a cat. She was

tall and kind. Jareth loved her dearly. He had loved no girl as he had

loved Sarah.

He went through the village on the back of his favourite horse, Hoggle.

He raced to get to the cliffs to meet with his beloved Sarah and to escape

the little crowd that waited for him back home.

He loved his horse. It was his prize. He had owned the horse since he

was ten. His father had given it to him as a birthday gift. It was brown

and sleek.

When he could here the splashing waves slap against the wall of rock he knew

he was there. When he was only about ten yards from the cliff line he leapt

off of his horse and tied it to a near by tree.

It was a windy, cool day and Jareth's hair rushed around his face, whipping

him by the hand of the wind.

Jareth could smell the salt water. The wind tangled in his hair as it

brushed into his face and obstructed his vision. Jareth was in love. His

heart raced at the thought of seeing Sarah again though he had only seen her

just yesterday.

He walked calmly to the edge of the cliff line. He got down on to his

knees and he turned his back towards the watery horizon as he carefully made

his way down the cliff rock by rock to reach the caves. He grabbed stone

after stone and with his booted feet found cracks and holes just big enough

to slide his feet in and like a spider he made his way to his awaiting love

who more then likely hated the little dangerous climb to his secret place,

the underground.

The back of his shirt got caught on a hanging branch but quickly he

pulled free and so with his knees coated in dirt and his hair tangled in his

face he climbed down into the cave.

He slid through on his belly but once inside he could easily stand at

full height. The flickering of a fire drew him deeper into the cavern. The

flames lapped and licked at a distance from him.

Sarah stood over the fire warming herself as the October air chilled her

to the bone. She was in a long white dress and her hair was behind her in a

white ribbon. She seemed to Jareth as innocent as a child yet as lovely as a

woman and as kindly and wise as the great goddess.

Jareth stepped closer to his beloved so that she could see his face

clearly in the firelight.

She was down on her knees in front of the fire as she stared up at him

and spike.

"Jareth, My beloved one, what has taken thee so long? I had to start the

festivities without you."

"Festivities?" He grinned cynically. "And what festivities shall we be

having in this solitude under the ground and just above Hell?" Though Jareth

had been taught in the Celtic ways he had studied the bible just incase

anyone was to have asked him about his religious up bringing. He would not

have to make up a lie but rather tell simply what he knew of Christianity

though he did not believe it. And though he did not really believe that

there was a Hell for the idea of absolute evil scared him he did like the

metaphor.

Sarah stood up and walked over to Jareth's awaiting arms. Quickly she kissed

him. "I have been waiting here nearly for eternity."

"Eternity… ahhh… It is only forever, my love. It is not long at all."

He teased.

"How did you manage to escape from your father on this day. Didn't he plan

for you a celebration or something of the like in solemn recognition of your

mother's death and of your birth?"

"Ah, what does it matter? I have you and I am here with you, that is all

that matters to me now. Come," he gestured towards the flames burning in

the center of the cave "let us sit and warm ourselves for a bit. I am

chilled. The air is cool and I have brought with me no ale."

He sat down and held his beloved close to him as he watched the flames

lick and lap at the roof of the cave.

Sarah noticed that Jareth had smeared dirt on his shirt from the climb

and offered then to clean it for him before his father could see and guess

what he had been doing.

Jareth seemed distracted. As Sarah untied the top of his shirt Jareth

yielded as if he were but a corpse. He said not a word as Sarah pulled his

shirt over his head and he sat with only his pants on.

"Something troubles you, my love."

"What?" Jareth acted now as if he had just awoken from a dream state.

"No. Nothing troubles me, my beautiful Sarah."

'You lie. Now, do tell me what does bother you so much."

Jareth sighed. "Oh, well, sometimes I feel very alone. I feel so lost

and lonely among the rest of these people when you are not with me. I feel

lost and lonely sometimes. I feel as if I was not meant for this world. It

is like I am watching it all from a distance, detached and indifferent. I

feel as if I am awaiting something that has yet to happen. I feel different.

I do not feel as if I belong. I want to leave here. I want to go away and

never return until I have found what I am looking for…I just don't know what

it is that I want, not really anyway. …But I do have you and you do mean more

to me then anything."

Jareth began to sing to express what he felt for that was the only real

way that he felt he could get a point across.

Sarah, the only one who seemed to understand this began to sing to Jareth.

"So that is what they would call reality,

simply as it is here, far and near for everyone,

And this belongs to exempting you, every one? Is it fun?"

"Lonely, am you the only one?" Jareth replied in song.

"I guess that everything that you had heard about it, was all true,"

"Well, who knew that a love could be so pure and true?" Asked Jareth in

rhythmic reply,

So you do not have a fulfilled dream of your own

And all alone you have grow

Well, whoever said that you had needed to be on your own?"

"Nothing new this revelation has shown,"

"Aren't you glad that no one is out there somewhere waiting up for you

As you dream as I alone too?

When you dream on your on, you are alone but you are not lonely

For you see for us dreamers night is the only time of day.

When the world seems to finally be asleep and your thoughts do begin to stray

That is when you find that you are now actually in a trip

That is bound for a place so very far away,"

"Together you and I are far away," He replied.

"And you now feel that you are free, and you feel like the very wind

It is like you are going to live forever,

And you thought that this could be?"

"Never,"

"As it is the feeling that you have now that time can never take away,

All that you really need is a little more time,

That is when you would be out of here to stay

And you would be on your way for a place very far away,"

"Dreams really do come true when you are free and very far away,

Far away,"

"Where does it say that you have got to live here?

Who is holding you back now, my dear?

When can you start taking? It is time to stop giving?

Why should you spend your whole entire life living

Trapped where there is not any future for you, even at your age?

You are stuck breaking your back for someone else's sake,

If this life doesn't seem to suit you then how about a change of scene,

dear?

Let's leave now, out of here and off of the street so very cold and mean,

Far from the miserable headlines and the deadlines in between here?

"Far away," Jareth sang. "Are you there?

Do you swear that you shan't forget me?

If I were to find you would you allow me to come and stay?

I long for space, not just air, so let them all just laugh in my face

About it, I don't care, save a place for me

I shall one day be there,"

"So that is what they call a reality,

Aren't you glad that you are not that way?

Aren't you glad that you have a dream to stay

You simply call running to a place far away?"

"Far away,"

Are you there now, my old friend?

I can not spend my whole entire life like this, fighting.

You are the only light that is left to guide me through this day,

I am afraid to stay, and I long to get away, I simply can not stay,

Will you keep for me a candle burning? Will you help me to find my own way?

You are my chance to break free and who knows just when my next one will be,

Far away,

Will you just wait for me?"

"And we can be together forever in a place far way,

Far away," She sang.

"No one can blame you for just walking away, my love." Sarah sighed.

"What? You mean run away. I cannot. I love you and will not leave you.

I want to stay here because you are here."

"We can leave together is what I meant."

"I do not want to make you leave behind all that you love, Sarah. You

have friends, you have family and…and… "

"And you do not?" She mocked him.

"Sometimes I feel detached from them." He made a gesture towards the

village. "I do not love them as I love you. I only love you. That is

why I cannot take you away from all that you love. I can not do that to you,

my beloved Sarah."

"All I love is you. I want to leave here with you. I want to help you to find

what you are looking for so that we both might be contented in love. I

cannot be happy without you."

"Oh, Sarah." Jareth sighed. Jareth could not resist but to kiss her

then.

Suddenly as Jareth had Sarah in a passionate embrace the fire's flame

turned to a blue colour as if the flames were burning something made entirely

out of fat and oil.

Sarah could not restrain a gasp as the flames rose and licked at the ceiling

of the cave. Jareth held close to Sarah and watched as out of the flames

emerged a creature.

It was large and it was hairy. It was brown and black in colour. It had

great claws like blades. It had horns like a demon and a tail like a wolf.

It had yellow fangs dripping saliva that hung out of it's mouth. It had eyes

like fire.

It was hideous. It smelled of all the worst stuffs on the planet. It had a

horrid reek to it.

"What is it?" Sarah asked out loud. She could not hold back a shriek as

she buried her face in to Jareth's chest.

"I…I don't know." Jareth stuttered as he held her shuttering form close

to him.

The creature hissed. It then spoke in a very gruff and inhuman voice

that sounded as if the rocks were speaking and not the creature. "I should

choose a form more becoming of this dimension."

Then the monster began to change shape. The fangs retracted into a

rather small mouth and the creature began to shrink very slowly where now it

stood at eye level with Jareth. Its fur began to dissolve and fade as if it

all had been a trick of the light. It's claws fell from its fingers and

landed into the fire that burned behind it.

Now it stared at Jareth and as it did its eyes became more and more human

in their shade and appearance. And one eye was greenish brown and the other

was a deep ocean blue, only Jareth's right eye was blue and his left the

greenish brown, this thing had the same eyes in reverse, the thing's left eye

was blue and the right was a greenish brown colour.

Now it looked like an ordinary, well-dressed man. It wore exactly the

same clothing as Jareth and it looked just like him only this man had brown

hair and brown eyes.

"Mother of all, what are you?" Jareth asked out loud suddenly as he saw

now that it looked just like his father but younger.

"You look like my father." Jareth said, as he was astonished at the

similarities.

"That is because I am your father," it said.

"What?" Jareth would not believe it. He could not believe it. This thing

could not be his father. His father was up in the village, sipping ale and

wondering where his son was.

"I am not the man whom you know to be your father but I am your father.

Allow me to explain."

Suddenly in his hand the creature held a crystal ball. The crystal was

just big enough to fit in the palm of his hand as he tossed it now at Jareth.

It froze in mid-air right in front of Jareth and hovered there. In the

crystal suddenly appeared the image of Jareth's father and mother. They were

young in the image and were laughing at something very interesting.

Jareth became enthralled by the magick image of his mother who had been dead

for quite sometime, having died giving birth to him.

The creature, which looked human now, spoke again.

"Twenty one years ago I came to your world in this form in search of a

mate to carry my immortal son. Coincidentally there was a man already here

with a face exactly matching my own when I would take human form but the eyes

were different. Your father had pure green eyes and my one eye as you see is

blue. He was handsome and young and in love. He and a woman named Deirdre

were in love. I took this opportunity and I came to the woman one night.

She thought that I was her beloved, unable to see the slight difference in

our eyes in the darkness and I slept with her.

I caused her to carry a child… My child. Naturally her true love being

an alcoholic remembered nothing of that night and assumed that in deed he was

the one who got her pregnant and he married her as he had already promised to

do so only a month prier. The baby was you, Jareth and you are my son."

Suddenly Jareth's face appeared in the crystal orb.

"No." Jareth shook his head in disbelief. "This cannot be true."

"Oh, but it is. I have waited until you were of age to claim your birth

right as the prince of all the goblins.

"Prince of all the… goblins?' Before Jareth could ask what this meant

the creature had another crystal orb in his hands. This one was pink and it

burst suddenly to reveal another which was half that size. This one the

creature threw at Sarah.

Sarah gasped but before Jareth could stop it, it had shattered against

her chest. Sarah fell to the floor of the cave. She was not dead but

merely asleep but still this great magick caused Jareth to fear for her life.

"Sarah!" He wanted to rush to her aid but it was too late.

Another transparent crystal orb appeared in the hands of the stranger and

Jareth was instinctively growing frightened. The orb grew in size as it flew

at Jareth. The orb swelled and then suddenly it splattered against Jareth's

chest. It broke into several thousands of pieces and one of the pieces

pierced his chest and reached his heart.

The ground vanished. The world seemed to be falling down around him.

Sarah was gone. The stranger was gone. Jareth was lost in blackness. Then

suddenly the sky grew lighter and Jareth could feel the ground under him once

more.

He was dressed in splendid new garb. He wore tight black leggings and a

long black cape. His shirt was a white thing made of silk and on his belt

was a small dagger. Jareth had never worn such fine clothes in his life.

The sun in this dimension was just rising. The sky was orange and the

ground smelt sweet with the odor of the morning's dew and budding roses.

Jareth was confused.

A great clay brick wall stood in front of him and so Jareth turned around

to face the stranger who still looked quite human.

"I am your father, Jareth. There is no denying it. This is our world."

"What sort of world is this?" Asked Jareth. "Where are we?"

"This is my world. I inherited it from my father who from his father and

so on and so on and so on since the dawn of infinity."

"How can this be?" Jareth was baffled.

'Simple." The stranger said. "You need not worry about that girl, Sarah. I

left her where she was in that underground cave of yours. This world is like

all worlds. It is the third planet or spinning orb of life from it's sun or

center star and it bears life so there by it is your Earth. It is only

another dimension of Earth.

"It has seven continents or masses of land of which I am the dictator of

one. The seventh and largest of the continents is my private playground

where I keep my castle in the center of it, my fantasyland, my kingdom.

There is a great maze surrounding my castle. It is my labyrinth. It

protects against intruders. No one has ever been able to get through the

Labyrinth yet it is such a great maze that my subjects all live in it or on

the outskirts of it.

"There is a secret to my Labyrinth, if one always turns right upon

entering it's gate you can find your way easily to my castle but I only tell

you this because you are my son. No one else knows this secret. Though the

Labyrinth is always changing there are some things such as this that are ever

constant.

"Beyond the labyrinth and just before the castle there is a surrounding

city called quite simply The goblin city, it is the capital of my country I

call The Underground.

"There are all kinds of splendid and fascinating creatures here of the

likes of which are not even imagined by the people of your world.

"I am immortal. The only thing that can kill me is to be defeated by one

of my own blood and you, my son are the only one in existence now who has my

blood."

"Does this mean that you killed your father?" Jareth asked.

"No. My father died by his own hand, which is also the other only way

one of us can die. He drowned in The bog of eternal stench. Now, if someone

had pushed him in he would not have drowned but since he chose to die he

simply died."

"And you really are my father?"

"Yes, Jareth and you also have my power. Don't you feel that energy

rushing through you now? When I shattered that orb against your chest it

released all of your hidden potential."

Jareth was amazed.

The stranger placed his hand on Jareth's back. "Come. I shall take you

to our castle."

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 2

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 13:57:02 EDT

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Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 2:

Entering The Labyrinth

Almost blind with excitement Jareth followed his new found father to the

castle at the center of the great maze that ram above and under the ground

with many twists and turns and tunnels going this way and that.

There are words within worlds. And this world existed within our

universe in the realm of one human's subconscious. Then it is shared by

countless millions of others making it as real and as potent as any reality

simply because it was dreamed of and believed in for is not the realm of

dreams a reality of it's own?

It was difficult for Jareth to call this stranger Father but he would

surely soon grow used to it no matter how awkward it seemed at first.

The maze was big and it had many twists and turns but somehow Jareth as

well as his father could easily find their way through.

It was miles till they could even see the castle at a distance up a hill.

"You are my father?" Jareth asked again. "And all this is your world?"

"Yes, and I want to share it all with you. For you are the prince and

heir to my throne if I choose to die."

"What is your name? Where did we come from? What are we? I know now

that I am not mortal. Will I age? How come I have seen no people thus far?"

"Calm down, my son. I shall explain it all to you. My name is Grall.

I do not know where we come from but all I know is this. We are immortal

shape shifters ad are not actually goblins and we possess great magical

powers and skills of seduction and enthrallment rather like the common fey,

yours is held in your physical beauty and in your voice, your true magick and

in the crystals.

"Though we reproduce by mating with humans our blood is always potent, and

the magick held within the child never thins.

"We are the rulers of the goblins. We look mortal by choice. We can

change our shape though no creature is quite as fun a human. There are no

human females in this labyrinth there for when you may decide to mate it will

have to be with one from another dimension but do not worry about your off

spring. If you choose to have any for the child will have all your powers

and perhaps even more then you. You will not age from this moment on but if

you choose to mate then you shall age about ten years almost instantaneously

if you manage to get that woman fragment.

"You always choose if you want her to be pregnant or not. And only if she

is pregnant will you succumb to the sudden aging. Unlike mortal men we can

focus to create life in the woman where it is always a challenge to mortal

men but I warn you that if a woman carries your child then she shall die upon

giving birth. I knew this when I impregnated your mother. But do not be

cross with me for sentencing your mother to die. I had to do it to create

you but it was also her choice.

"When she was giving birth I came to her in a form that only she could

see and I told her the truth. I offered her the choice to kill you inside of

her and live with me forever. We do have the power to make mortals immortal

as we are by throwing a crystal of your energy at the heart of that mortal. I

had done that with you, as it had to be done to make you see your birth

right."

Grall seemed almost sad for a moment. "She said no. She would rather

die then let her own child die in her place. She said that it was the way of

the great mother to sacrifice for her child and so it was that she made the

ultimate sacrifice for you.

"I did love her and it broke my heart when she died. I had almost

expected her to except my offer and be my queen, to rule by my side forever

but she was too innocent and good to do that. I was still happy though for I

did have a son in the horrible price of ten years of age to my appearance and

your sweet mother's life."

Jareth stopped walking and stared at his father. "Amazing."

"Yes, rather."

"But why have I seen no goblins yet?"

"They are scattered about. Look. Here comes one now."

Staggering around a corner came a small troll like creature with bolging

eyes. It had pink hair at the top of its head. It had two weasel tails

behind it. It had the hind legs of a rabbit. It had the black wings of a

fly and it had the head of a fox. It's eyes were large, round and red. It

was coated in brown and red fur. It was male, obviously. Its toes were

webbed and it had a beak rather then a mouth.

The moment it saw Jareth and Grall it bowed and said "Your majesties."

Then it wobbled off at a fast pace.

Stunned Jareth turned towards his father. "Do all goblins look like

that?"

"No." His father said. 'They all come in many shapes and sizes as well

as colours and ages. They age and die, as we do not. They think that we are

Gods because we have so much power within our control."

"And are we gods then?" Jareth asked.

"No. Perhaps only God of the goblins but in the mortal world we are merely

wizards who simply can not be killed and can change our form."

"And how do I use my powers?"

"Think of something that you want. Anything at all can be chosen."

Jareth shut his eyes and then opened them.

"Now, hold out your hand and your energy shall do the rest."

Suddenly a swirling wind like a mighty tornado appeared on Jareth's hand.

A liquid gewed in his fingers. It was icy and cold but then it was

comfortably warm. It suddenly became hard. And then in his hands was a

clear-cut crystal ball. It was small and it fit perfectly in his hands. It

caused his whole arm to tingle at holding it.

This was all like some strange dream to him.

"What is it?"

"It is a crystal, nothing more but it can make your dreams come true.

Now if a mortal held it the mortal would merely see his or her dreams

reflected in it. But for us it can bring them to life."

"I want my horse. My feet are growing tired of walking. I want my horse,

Hoggle."

"Heggle?"

"No, Hoggle."

"Alright. Now throw the crystal once you know what you want and wherever

you throw it the image shall appear.

"Jareth threw the ball and right in front of him the ball transformed in to

his horse, Hoggle. The crystal had transported his horse to this strange

other universe.

The older of the two laughed. "Very good, son. Very, very good, son."

He laughed.

Jareth could see that his new found father was pleased.

Grall spoke up suddenly. "But you do not need a horse here, son. I can

transport us the rest of the way but I merely wanted you to see the maze.

You won't have any need of him here, boy. I suggest you make something

useful out of him. How about making him a dwarf to assist you when you need

it. You had better make him ugly so that lust does not interfere with his

work and you had better make him stupid and cowardly."

Jareth thought on this and once he had the image in his head he held out

his hand. Another crystal suddenly appeared. Jareth threw this one at his

horse that panted and whinnied from where it stood.

The crystal shattered and the horse changed shape. Soon a short, little

man stood where the horse had been. It was a dwarf. It had an aged face

that was large and wrinkled, like a crumpled brown paper bag. It had a large

moth and pointed nose. It had white hair that one could see from under a red

cap. It wore a dingy white shirt and brown pants. He stood up and stared

dumbfounded at his master, Jareth.

"Hoggle?" Jareth asked in surprise.

"Ma.. M… Ma… Ma-s-ter… Master. Master, master." It seemed to chant

at an endless pace.

"It can talk." The father said. "Very good, son. You learn fast."

Jareth was surprised and horrified by what he had done to his own horse.

Grall could see this. "Higgle," he said in a very stern voice "Go and live

outside the gates of this labyrinth and learn to take care of the flowers

that grow on the outer wall. And handle for us the pest problem of the tiny

fairies that bite like misquotes in the summer and early autumn. That is

your duty and you need not come in to this labyrinth ever again except to do

my or my son's will. Do you understand me?"

Hoggle nodded and scurried away with a wobbling step, as he could not

comprehend how to walk on only two legs.

"Come, Jareth. I shall teach you and take you to our castle." He placed

his arm reassuringly over Jareth's shoulder and guided him away.

Jareth, unable to fully adapt to his new environment began to sing

through the looking glass.

"Do not let my courage abandon me at this moment,

Heart and will please do not fail me now,

I can not turn back now that I have reached here,

I heard it said that life is full of these kinds of choices

But no voices have ever mentioned the fear

Or how a path can be so long and lonely

Or how a Labyrinth can seem so vast,

My heart must see me through it,"

He turned to his father as he continued to sing.

"I trust you so that I may do it,

Going through the looking glass,

Love, happiness and contentment,

Now, here I think I can have them too,

Love, happiness and contentment,

I shall never be complete until I have felt that too,

One step at a time,

I Close my eyes and take a step

Then I shall take another,

Who knows just where this maze may take me,

Away from who I was, on to find my future,

There are things that my soul longs to know about what I am going to be,

Please see me though, I am trusting only in you to help let this pass,

And bring me across through the looking glass,

Please see me though, I am trusting only in you to help this pass,

And bring me across through the looking glass

At last,"

Jareth had an aching feeling inside him that somehow this was wrong. It

seemed monstrous and he no longer really wanted his birth right.

They walked on only a few more feet before they came across a large,

oafish beast that when growled could conjure rocks.

The creature was a large and hairy yeti like being with horns and a

hunched back. It's ears flopped on the sides of his head. He simply stood

howling and the rocks came rolling by as answer to his loud call.

"I should have to call some goblins to deal this that beast." Said Grall.

Jareth turned with mild interest in this as they walked on past this strange

sight. "Why?"

"No one should hold authority in this place other then myself even if it

is over rocks. If one being, even a mindless one can pose a challenge to my

power then he must be dealt with. That beast will submit to my will

eventually."

"Oh." Jareth thought that his father was over reacting a bit.

As they walked Jareth noticed tiny little elfish brownies were scurrying

about in and out of the Labyrinth walls and floor tiles. There was also a

family of tiny blue, slug like worms drinking tear from tiny cups on the

corner of one wall.

A group of fiery red things were dancing around a campfire in the woods.

They were singing as they tore their own limbs off and removed their own

eyes. They seemed to enjoy this.

A bush made entirely out of eyes on yellowish thundrals shuttered in the

wind as if trembling in fear at their sight as Jareth and Grall passed by it.

This was the most extraordinary thing.

Slowly Jareth began to realize that things are not always what they seem to

be in this place and that this was where everything seems possible and

nothing is what it seems.

Bored with walking Grall formed a crystal in his hand. Jareth stopped in

his weary tracks in wonder at what his newfound father proposed to do.

In moments they had arrived having flown on the inside of a great crystal

bubble that Grall had made using his powers. It was an amazing journey.

When Jareth saw his father's castle he gasped out in amazement.

It was an immense structure beyond a small city hidden behind the walls of

the Labyrinth. The maze seemed to go on for infinity surrounding the castle

from all sides but that most repulsive sight met Jareth's gaze just outside

the city and still within the forest section of the labyrinth.

It was a gurgling bog of filth next to a repulsive yard of garbage. This

horrid eye sore reeked of feces but beyond this horror (The bog of eternal

stench) and beyond the goblin city there was the great goblin castle.

It was a wondrous building that they now stood before outside of that

great bubble tat had dissolved into the earth on impact like a great cloud of

smoke and water.

The ground was tiled with bricks and cobble stones. The walls were of

sculpted white marble, the castle had been crafted, made to last for an

eternity.

The great doubled doors to the palace were of solid steal and the bars on the

first floor windows were of iron. The castle had eight towers, one for each

direction and one for the border between two. There was a great tower

rising from the eighth floor of the entrance fortress that surrounded the

main building of the castle that sat in a great courtyard on this gnarled

hill that for some reason was made out of earth as white as snow or moonbeams.

The castle was great and a wondrous thing.

Grall stepped forward and lightly touched his son who stared forward with

is mouth gaping open at the sight of this terrific castle.

"Now really, Jareth don't look such a way. I told you that it was your

castle as well as mine. Now come along, the goblin court is awaiting us.

They are all idiots but harmless idiots and their attention spans are very

short. Some are so stupid that they'll assume you've been here forever just

as they think I've been here forever. They can not remember the former king

and I believe it is better that way. To them you are a God who shall live

forever as the moon lives forever. Most of them cannot remember beyond a few

days or weeks while others cannot remember what they did five minutes before

I speak to them. They will never rebel for all their idiocy and I find that

fine though a trifle bit annoying. Remember what I have told you and be

prepared for anything. In this, my world nothing is impossible. This is

where everything seems possible and nothing is what it seems."

Jareth nodded in understanding.

He still was getting over the sudden shock of it all.

"Now pay attention, the Labyrinth is always changing to suit the mind of

the person who enters so that for each individual it is a personal journey

that is always changing, rather like the human mind itself, ever changing yet

ever constant. The universe is like that, ever changing yet ever constant.

And so as immortals that's how we should be, how you should always remain, my

son. Now five things are always present in the Labyrinth. Always no matter

who is walking through it, the obliettes hidden through out the maze, the bog

of eternal stench, the castle, the Goblin City and you and your power. And

the secret key to The Labyrinth is that right is always the right way to go

and for all whom enter it is always a complex and personal journey. It would

be like wondering through one's own mind. You'd be easily lost. No one can

find their way through this enchanted maze, no one. Things will only change

if you will it to change or you are defeated by a mortal but that has never

happened before."

"What will happen if I am defeated by a mortal?"

"I am not sure to tell you the truth I am pretty sure that all that will

happen is that you would be weakened and may lose a bit of your power."

"Oh."

"Also if a mortal does not believe in your or renounces the power you

possess over them that would make it where your magick would hold absolutely

no effect on that person. And that person can steal some of your own power in

turn, such as the power to conjure beings of their personalized Labyrinth

journeys in to reality."

"Strange…"

"Yes… Very. Also note that all goblins are repulsed by singing, it is

instinctual yet they would always love to hear their king sing. Your voice

alone can keep them at bay."

Jareth nodded again. He was speechless.

Grall stepped forward and yelled up as if at the doors them selves. "Open

the gates, it is I, your master returned."

Suddenly a chorus of cackling voices were screaming and laughing madly

from behind the castle walls. "Open the gates, it is our master come home."

"Quickly now, open them."

In a few moments the doors gave way and about a hundred, short waste high

goblins stood and bowed along a red carpet leading down a corridor.

Jareth stared at the creatures that surrounded him.

Some had floppy, puppy dog-ears and raven beaks. Others had feathers and

dog snouts. Some wore raged bits of shredded clothes while others wore the

helmets of warriors of the past. And some that were seemingly gender-less

beings ran around naked chasing farm animals.

Grall spoke up suddenly as if reading his son's mind. "Yes, sometimes I

do turn my enemies in to goblins though it takes great skill and I do hate

having to do it but as for feeling guilty and all that rot, I have no qualms

about doing it. It's just such dreadful and dirty business, rather. They

are still emotionally and mentally just as they were if they are the ones

forcefully changed but the others were born and bred true goblins, these ones

are the idiots."

Some had goat's heads while others had faces of kittens. Some had more then

one head while others had four arms and three legs.

One had the body of a goat and the head of a man. Another had a goat's

head and a man's body. Some were extremely thin and others extremely fat.

They came in all shapes and colours and at the sight of them Jareth was

suddenly repulsed but it was only momentary.

"The master has returned." Cried one that seemed so much like an animal

that Jareth was surprised that he could even speak.

"But who has he brought with him?" Cackled a very feminine one with dove

wings on it's back.

Grall did not reply this with an answer. He simply kept walking until

he came to his throne room.

The throne room was a great room in the center of the castle. There was

a large throne against the far wall and hanging above it, mounted on the wall

was a giant crown decorated with horns of equal six that now was the nest of

a pet black bird. This crown was far too big to fit the head of a mortal

man. A great beast or his father in another form had obviously once worn it.

Had one of Jareth's ancestors killed a beastly king goblin and forcefully had

taken the throne with his magick? I doubt Jareth would ever know.

Perhaps truthfully the idiot goblins had made the crown for Grall but had

made it far too big so he had it put up high to show that it was his seat,

not to be soiled or disgraced by a rouge goblin with a very, very short

attention span.

Grall walked over to the throne. In the center of the room was a

cushioned pit that went down only about three or four feet. It looked like

an in turned bed or a strange playpen for a child. About twelve goblins sat

scattered in this room. And for some reason a chicken stood cackling next to

the throne.

Grall walked over to the throne that was shaped like a half moon

cushioned on it's back and base with arms made of bamboo and he sat down in

it.

Grall nodded at Jareth, which seemed to him permission to use his

newfound magick.

Jareth lifted a hand up and thought of what he wanted, and again a

tingling sensation ran through his body and then his arm and hand. A

crystal appeared.

Jareth threw the crystal at the wall next to his father's throne and

instantly appeared there another throne.

The goblins all shut up from their mindless chatter and stared at this

new one who held the king's magick

Jareth saw his father smile and proudly stepped forward to his seat and

sat next to his father to his left.

"Very good, son. You are learning fast. Never wait for an offer.

Always take what you want. That is what I do and as king that is what you

should also do."

Grall stood up suddenly. "Friends, goblin folk. I would like to

introduce you to my son, Jareth, the goblin prince."

At first all the goblins stared blankly at Jareth and his father but then

they all began to clap and cheer and whistle and laugh all at once

Jareth stood up and took a bow. He felt honoured and proud. It was as if

the Earth he had come from was all but a strange dream from his past and

could easily be forgotten… But what of Sarah?

Again Grall read his son's thoughts. "You can see anything at all that

you wish to within our realm with a crystal. You know what to do. Think of a

place and make the crystal appear. You can also travel to the mortal realm

whenever you choose. Just think of it and wave your hand and you shall be

there. You return the same way. You can change shape as well. Just think

of an animal or person you would like to be and focus that energy. Try it

now if you like."

Jareth did. He thought of a owl, a majestic creature with extreme beauty.

Then a great sensation took him over. He was shrinking. He felt the

pulling of his skin and the soft tickle of the fathers. His eyes saw in a

new way. He was small as he stared up at his father. He was no longer

capable of speech in this form but he could will out his thoughts

telepathically and found that if he tried he could hear other thoughts, there

were only a few in this place. Most were coming from his father of how proud

he was and how grand this would be now with his son at his side.

This was new. The power to read thoughts had only been awoken in him with the

power to change shape.

He flapped his white wings and flew instinctively towards the window. Oh,

the freedom of flight, it was fantastic. He loved it, he could swoop and

spiral and turn on the wind like a piece of paper fluttering in the wind.

The cool air scraping gently at his belly as fi welcoming him home.

Out he flew over the labyrinth in a great rush of excitement.

He loved this power to fly in the shape of a bird. It was absolutely

fantastic. He could see all of the Labyrinth and his eyes as the owl eyes

could see, as he never had before. He saw depth in darkness and within

crevices, he could hear the heartbeat of a mouse. He could see tiny figures

trying to hide from his perfect eyes in the blackness of shadow. His eyes

were no longer humans and he was totally free and happy.

He noted that the sun was setting over the castle and that a moon rose in

to the sky. But this was no normal moon. It was made from a pure blue

crystal. It was a giant gem stone in the sky, he could see the facets of

it's deep blue surface that were glowing mysteriously.

As Jareth flew he heard in his mind a song. Wings.

"The most wondrous things that bring me delight

Are the things known as wings that once spread can take flight

And on this journey we both slip from the dark and in to Heaven's light

For in to eternity we move together in love and out of sight,

We fly away and seize the day for this is our life and the price to pay

And there's not much you can do for this is all I say

We have our future in this our only way

You can not make me stay,

And why the angel does fly and mockingbird sings

Is because, my dear, they both have wings,

And when you fly in your dreams through the night sky

I want you to know why I choose to leave now with my love,

I choose to fly as now and forever with the wings of a dove,

Now sleep my friend and you shall see

That dream is my reality,

A life, a freedom without end with you my one true friend,

So spread your wings and fly away for together this is our only way

And together like and as birds of a feather we shall always stay,

And this because you have given me the most wondrous things

As a set of angel's wings,"

He flew back to the throne room where his father waited for him. He had

several oil lamps burning around the room and candles were being lit for the

night all across the labyrinth. (Should goblins be trusted with fire? …No, I

don't think so.) They were like stars on the floor of night, Jareth had

seen nothing like it in this timeless and eternal place.

And he realized that all the pain of his past was gone. And he thought

that nothing would ever hurt again here. His father had taken him here. He

was in The Underground.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 3

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:01:17 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 3

Dance magic

Jareth turned back in to a human again and stepped up to his father who

smiled at him.

"Oh, father, that was fantastic. That was absolutely amazing, stunning,

simply glorious."

"Good, you can do that when ever you like. Now I would like to bestow

upon you the greatest gift that I can give you."

One goblin gasped and whispered to another. "He's going to give him the

cicle." "Huh? Not the cicle!?!"

"Bring me the cicle." Grall cried.

Two stumbling goblins came rushing in with a box in their arms. They placed

the box on the floor before Jareth. Jareth looked a it for a moment in

puzzlement. "What is this?"

"Why don't you open it and find out for yourself?" Said Grall

Jareth kneeled down and lifted the lid. In the box was a great trinket.

It was a pendent. It was shaped like a triangle that had it's sides caved

in. In the center of it was a silver coin as it was gold and it hung on a

golden chain as well.

What Jareth did not know and neither did Grall was that within the coin

was a tiny shard from a dark crystal, the center of another reality, an

ancient place and great magick existed within the shard. Though the shard

was tiny it was a part of the heart of the center of anther reality ruled by

creatures known as Mystics. There are worlds within worlds within worlds.

And though the beings of that reality would be nearly microscopic to Jareth

they held great importance in another realm in the great cosmic all.

Jareth looked at his father who again merely nodded.

Jareth placed the pendent around his neck.

Grall spoke up. "It is called the cicle. It is made from mettles from

your former Earth and elements from the moon of our world, our third moon

that only rises once every century. Usually we have the blue moon. The

cicle can make all your dreams come true. When ever you wish something that

is with in the realms of it's power it shall change. The chain would turn to

a leather cord and then to a silver chain almost suddenly. The silver coin

would turn to gold and the gold cicle would turn to silver. It would switch,

changing so that your wish might be granted. I always called it the

dream-cicle."

"Amazing." Jareth said as he stared down at it around his neck. Then

Jareth realized that it was getting late though he was not tired. "What time

is it, father?"

"Time has no bearing on us though like mortals we eat and expel when we

are hungry and full, and we do sleep. The days here however are divided into

twenty-six hours. It is thirteen o'clock here, for us that is midnight."

Jareth was again only slightly surprised. "I would like to see my bed

changer now, father as I am to live here now."

"Of course, come let me show it to you now."

Jareth's room was a great big room. It had a large window with a

canopied bed.

He looked out the window to the great labyrinth spreading out below him and

for some reason though he was somewhat contented he felt very, very lonely.

He thought of Sarah for a moment and of how much he missed her.

Finally he decided that he would go to sleep and in the morrow he would go to

the mortal world and explain everything to her and give her immortality in

exchange for ten years of his youth. They would live together

forever…happily ever after.

Jareth fell asleep in the clothes that he had been wearing. He dreamt of

Sarah. He dreamt that they were in a magical dance hall dancing to a magick

dance.

They were in a masquerade ball and he was in a mask and there were others

around and there was Sarah in a long flowing gown and yet she was not in a

mask.

Jareth was singing. This song was The dark Masquerade.

"Behind my mask of secrets and lies,

Behind my costume and painted eyes

I see a world of smiling faces, they are not real,

And they are not wise

And then through the darkness,

behind your mask I see your crystal eyes,

Start the masquerade without me,

Take illusions and disguise,

When your only love is a stranger,

You scorn the truth and you need the lies,

And in the night I see one white rose,

In the dark only one bloom survives,

And in the night it alone thrives,"

There is such a sad love deep in your eyes,

A kind of pale jewel,

Opened or closed, it is within your eyes,

I'd place the sky within your eyes,

This is such a foolish heart that is beating so fast because it is a new

dream,

A love that will last within your heart,

I'll place the moon with in your heart,

As the dream sweeps through, it makes no sense for you,

Every thrill is gone, it wasn't too much fun at all,

But I'll be there for you,

As the world falls down, for we are falling in love,

…Falling in love,

And I kiss your tender lips,

My arm around you and I see you smile and it is true,

I shall always love you,

We take off our masks and you see me,

And I understand you and how it was meant to be,

And beyond the others in the masquerade, we see, we know, we love each other

Beyond the social lies, we see each other's longing in our eyes,

And we are no longer alone in the dark masquerade,"

He dreamt that he stepped up to her and he removed his mask so that he

could see her better and that she could see him as he wanted to be seen.

But when she saw his face she was horror struck.

She gasped and she screamed "Demon, prince of the goblins, horrible

beast, get thee away from me!"

Jareth's heart was broken.

She ran from him. She was afraid of him. And then the ball room dancers

began to laugh at him. Maniacally they gathered around him, pointing their

fingers and laughing at his humiliation.

Sarah grabbed up a stool and threw it at the translucent wall of the room

and it shattered like one of the crystal balls he had been using for his

magick all day.

And it was then that Jareth woke up in bed. It was still night in The

Labyrinth. He stood gasping for breath. "I wish that I could see Sarah one

time without her seeing me." Jareth sighed.

Then suddenly his necklace began to glow and pulsate with an incredible

light.

Jareth stared down at it in amazement.

Suddenly he was back in the Earthly realm only in a way he was not. He

knew he was not really there. He saw that he was standing in the cave where

he and Sarah had been earlier that day.

She was crying. She could not see him. Jareth realized in a moment that

he was invisible.

He knelt down beside her and watched as she cried. She had been crying

for sometime. She was nearly mad.

"A demon has taken my beloved! Demons have taken my Jareth! No! Surely

his father will blame me. I shall surely be punished. They would all think

me a murder. Jareth, my Jareth, it does not matter. This is not fair. What

am I supposed to do? It's not fair. May he be alive that I might tell him

that I love him still. I need him. It matters not what befalls me now so

long as my beloved is safe. Oh, mother goddess of the moon please send me a

sign, let me know if he is all but fine."

With great concentration Jareth said the words, "Let her see me now. Let

her see me."

And with that a great light burst from the darkness and the fire that had

long ago burnt itself out in the cave was rekindled. And out of a blue

blast, like the flames themselves Jareth seemed to emerge from a great

porthole in to oblivion.

Sarah stood up and looked at him. He was greatly changed. He was

dressed in tight black pants a black cloak and a white shirt, very similar to

the one he had been wearing earlier and the silver cicle sat against his

chest.

"Jareth.." She gasped. "You are…you are alive?" She rushed to his

awaiting arms. "But what has happened to you?

Jareth gently told her to sit down.

He sat next to her upon the dirt floor. "I am a God now, Sarah only no

one is to know. I am an heir to the great mother moon's power. I am an

immortal God. I have received my birth right, I am a God!"

"But how, the demon… was that…" She gasped "…your father?"

Jareth held her shaking hands gently. "Let me explain, please."

Jareth concentrated and made a crystal appear in his hands. "Here, take

it. It is a gift. I have brought you a gift." He handed it over to Sarah

who reluctantly took it from him.

"It is beautiful but what is it?"

"It is a crystal, nothing more but if you turn it and look in to it,

it'll show you your dreams. Do you want it?"

She stared at it for a moment and she said, "Yes."

"Then it is yours."

Sarah turned the crystal ball in her and very gently and in the crystal

appeared the image of Her and Jareth, wed as man and wife.

"Can you make these images come to pass?" She asked looking up at Jareth

who clearly saw himself in the crystal.

"Oh, yes, my darling. Let us leave here together." He smiled. " Would

gladly make the image a reality for you."

He took her hand and the crystal dissolved as he sang The longing.

"Close your eyes

And walk with me down the endless paths as you drift off to sleep,

There are no more good byes

And there is no more promises left for you to keep,

Light the lamp

And follow close to me,

It shall end this night,

You have filled the emptiness in me,

You must give in, you must give in,

It is a game that you can not win,

It is the longing,

The darkness aches and tears away at the strongest of souls,

The music does play

And the fire burns your heart apart for that is all it knows,

The fever breaks,

Stay by me and rest your pretty little head,

The time has now come for the Longing is a hunger that needs to be fed,

You cannot turn back,

You simply cannot turn back,

The night waits in black,

It is the longing,

You must give in,

You must give in,

It is a game that you can not win,

It is the longing,

The longing,"

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 4

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:04:11 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 4:

Sarah

Jareth focussed his concentration and he held Sarah tight. In moments

they were in his bedchamber in the castle at the center of the The Labyrinth.

"Where are we?" asked Sarah in shock and wonder.

"We are in the castle, my a castle and my father's at the center of The

great Labyrinth."

Now Sarah sang All for a stranger.

"Infinity spreads out for all of eternity,

Over lapping waves realizing and revealing nothing,

And as I stare at the blackened sky as the moon rushes, passing me by

I realize with one glance at the darkening sky that it was all for a stranger,

Lonely stranger, fear not of the danger as too am I the stranger,

And as the waves of darkness lap against the shores of my reality

I realize the value of love and not of mortal frailty,

And this growing vapors pool of longing, emptiness and desire

Rising, reaching for us both with a fury of a Hell fire and love as God is

not a liar,

And I endure this torment in the darkened night for you, a stranger,

The stars fall from Heaven at a steady pace

As in love I start my fall from grace

And vanity, not of equality in longing of superiority has no place,

And all I long for is to be embraced as I stare up at your contented face,

As I smile at the darkness, letting the empty desire rush in like a wave

I realize that in love I am but a humble slave,

And this secret I shall take to my grave,

Oh, humble is the hunger,

The common need for touch,

And I need your understanding of me as the darkness needs the torch,

Hold tight to me in the dark of night and ride with me under the moonlight,

Am I in danger, that I am fool enough to do this all for a strange?"

Now Jareth sang in return a song called Keep you.

"In my heart there is a secret place

And you my friend, you have the key,

This is the start and there is no denying the love that you bring to me,

You shall never leave me, You have always believed in me

And you are the only light in the night that I can see,

And I hope that in your heart that you shall always keep me,

Is it all right if I sweep you away in the night?

That we sit and talk until dawn's early light?

And if I keep you in my heart tonight, would that be all right?

In my heart, can I keep you forever here? Can I love you forever, my dear?

Can I keep you forever, here?

In my heart, I long to keep you and in my soul I weep for you

For when you are gone the pain is the only thing true

And I find it hard to admit that I love you,

If you would hold me as I hold you

The eternal love would always remain new,

And I would give anything while I weep for you

As long as in my heart, you let me keep you,"

" Come. I have many things to show you" Said Jareth. "But first…"

Jareth raised his hand and concentrated, a cold gel formed in his hands

that slowly transformed in to a crystal ball. Jareth felt a little woozy as

he concentrated on what he proposed to do.

With a great burst of energy the crystal hit Sara full force. She gasped

as a shard penetrated her chest and pierced her heart making her immortal.

Jareth cried out in pain. He groaned in agony as he fell to his knees. He

felt weak, drained, in moments it had passed and he was no longer a seeming

boy.

Ten years in an instant, the price for immortality, mortality. Now with

the face of a thirty-one year old Man Jareth climbed to his feet, gasping for

breath.

Not much had changed. His hair was the same, his expression and shape,

the same. Only now faint lines were just visible, slight creases at the

corners of his mouth but this could only be seen as he smiled at his beloved.

Sarah looked around in awe as if she were a newborn child. She knew as well

as Jareth that now she was immortal.

In wonder of her new form and reality Sarah sang.

"The trade was fair

For I gave up emptiness to put you there,

And for us to be together

I gave up one world for another,

As this begins another life ends

And I trade for love a pack of false friends

And as I break through the world, behind me the hole mends

And from the past on the wings of the future it sends

Me to you as to a new world it ascends

And than my reality bends and the horror of my past for the future ends,

And so I fly above for the sake of love,

Grasping for you, my angel, my dove

As your touch is like the feel of a silken glove,

And so eternity a waits while the mortal debates

While the mountain of time accelerates

I watch as your light in me illuminates,

And for this world I trade for a new

That you create in my dreams come true

And this was not hard for me to do,

To trade my old world for you,

Where as I would do anything to be with you,

And it actually is that I give nothing to be with you

And yet I would give anything for you,

You have my dreams and my love

And for what it's worth it was all for and of you,"

It was nearly dawn but already in the throne room sat Grall who heard his

son running down the hall with another set of feet crying out. "Father.

Father…I have brought a visitor."

Jareth walked in to the throne room where now about thirty goblins idly

sat around Grall who casually sat on his throne and looked at his son and the

young woman who he stood with.

"Well, son…" Grall smiled "You have with you a companion, I see. An…

immortal bride?"

Sarah seemed dazed and confused. Her mind could hardly take this.

"Yes, father. She is to be my wife, my Sarah."

"Are you sure that you are not just acting on impulse? Are you sure this

was a good idea?"

Jareth did not answer right away. All he said was "Father, I love her."

Sarah looked around in confusion.

She then saw one of the goblins in old battle armor and thought of horror and

of damnation and horrible fates.

She gasped. "Humans… They were human?"

"Some, yes." Said Grall. "But you needn't be concerned with that,

m'dear. They were enemies of the crown, nothing to concern yourself with"

"Enemies to the crown…" She mumbled under her breath as she turned her

head in disgust. "And you intended to do that to me as well, didn't you?"

She yelled.

"No. No! Of course not, I love you." Said Jareth.

Sarah had lost her mind. She could not take the sudden changes in her

reality and the shock of seeing goblins that once walked as men made her

fragile sanity fly from her.

Now the only way an immortal can die is by their own hand or the hand of

another immortal.

Sarah looked around franticly to end this nightmare once and for all. On

a small stand in the corner was a candelabra and a dagger used to cut the

dripping wag from the brass stand. It had never been used in battle.

Jareth tried to run to her to stop her but she only held her hand out to

force him away from her.

"Demon, prince of the goblins, horrible beast, get thee away from me!"

She cried.

Jareth stopped in his tracks. This wounded him like a cutting, slash to the

heart.

Sarah reached a trembling hand to the dagger and whispered a prayer.

"Mother, forgive me."

"Nooo!" Jareth cried out.

It was too late. She gulped in pain as the icy steal penetrated her bosom.

The blood, hot and thick stained against the breast of her white dress. She

fell as Jareth ran to her, she landed in his arms as he sobbed.

"Sarah… Oh… Sarah…" He cried. What have you done…? What have I done?"

She smiled up at him with glazed eyes. Blood was now in her mouth and

trickled as she choked, gagging on it. She said not a word but shut her

eyes. She seemed only asleep as the dagger she had held to stab herself fell

to the floor with a clang, her embrace lost, her touch gone, her body dead.

Sarah lay limp in his arms, her blood staining his hands, magically,

immortal blood as it was, stained against the palms of his hands forever.

And Jareth cried.

Jareth wept, rocking back and forth with her body in his arms. "No, it's

not fair. It's not fair. We were supposed to be together forever. It's not

fair." He cried.

For days and nights Jareth just lay on his bed staring in to space as

tars welled in his eyes. He said not a word and did not even acknowledge it

when his Father entered his room.

Grall had burnt her remains in private. Jareth had not been there as it

was done. He had done nothing for nearly a week but weep and stare at the

ceiling.

Finally Grall stepped up to his son who seemed nearly catatonic. He

lifted one of Jareth's hands. Jareth was limp to the touch, pliant, he did

not care that his father now moved him involuntarily.

Grall looked over the crimson bloodstains that remained on Jareth's

hands. "You do know that no mortal can see this." His father said.

"But I can!" Jareth growled between clenched teeth that seemed almost

like small fangs. These were the first words he had said in days.

"The stains will fade in time, maybe. You must not let your guilt

destroy you."

"But I had killed her. I had destroyed her. It was my fault."

"No. She had destroyed herself. She was mad.'

Jareth turned on his side to hide his face from his father and sobbed in to

his pillow.

"You must forget this." His father said. "It's over. What's done is

done. We can not change the past but only our future."

"I don't care about my future." Jareth said in a strange and distant

voice that he hardly recognized to be his own.

"Don't talk like that." Said Grall as he carefully too Jareth by the

hand and slipped a leather glove over the blood stained fingers and carefully

did this to Jareth's other hand. 'The stains will fade in time. I promise

though I highly doubt that they'll ever go away all together and no human eye

can see them anyway."

Jareth stared off vacantly, ignoring his father.

Jareth did not like being a prince of the goblins. He missed his human

companions. He missed his home and his horse back rides to the caves. He

missed his human father and above all else, he missed Sarah.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 5

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:06:48 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 5:

Chilly down

"I have brought a gift for you." Grall held out his hand and in his hand

a peach appeared.

Jareth turned "What is it?"

"It's a present."

Jareth looked at the thing strangely as if he had never seen a peach before.

"It's not going to hurt you. There's no need to be concerned. I'd do

nothing to harm you. You know that. You have not eaten in days. You can not

die of starvation but I do know that you are still hungry and crave it

nonetheless."

"I don't wish to eat. I wish to die."

"You don't mean that, do you, son?"

Jareth reached out and took the peach in hand with a sigh.

He felt he soft texture of it's fine fuzz. He could smell it's sweet

juice already. He held it to his mouth. He did not notice the strange look

his father's eyes as he waited with anticipation, hoping that his son did not

guess what was really going on.

Jareth bit into the fruit. A strange and bitter after flavour haunted

his mouth. "It tastes strange…"

Jareth's head fell back with a slight moan as he realized that the room

was slowly beginning to turn all around him. "Father, what have you done to

me?" Jareth gasped.

"Hush now, this will make you forget, forget all about Sarah and that

wasted life you had there on Earth. You belong to me now. You are my son."

"I do not belong to anyone." At that Jareth tried to climb to his feet

but staggered, stumbled, forgetting where his feet were because his legs were

growing numb. He fell on to the floor with a great thud. "I don't want to

forget! Memories are all I have left. I don't want to for-"

A strange tinkling music filled the air.

Jareth shut his eyes and then believed he had opened them again. What was

going on? It was chilly down here in this strange mist that surrounded him.

"You will forget." Hissed the voices around him like serpents if

serpents had voices, demonic and vague hisses. "You will forget."

"No. No… NO!" Jareth cried as he swam through the air. His powers were

gone in this place. He could feel it. And the cicle was not around his neck

in this strange dream. Where was he?

He was dressed in strange garments, tight pants and a frock coat. His

frilled poet's shirt sticking out of his half buttoned blue jacket. He wore

a diamond brochette at his collar and his hair hung around his shoulders,

freshly combed.

"I won't forget. I won't let you make me forget. I won't. I won't. I

won't!"

Jareth's physical form remained on the floor of his bedchamber.

Grall smiled as he leaned over and picked the half eaten peach up that

had rolled on to the floor along side his unconscious son. A dark green

ooze leaked from it. "Sorry, I had to do this to you, son but you would

have gone made with grief. When you awaken all you will know is that you are

the prince and that you rule with me over the goblins."

Jareth held his head as pale hands reached out from the fog and gently

touched him. "Forget, forget, forget, young prince, you must forget."

"No. No. NO!" He cried. The cool hands pressing against his skin sent

shutters down his spine.

Deliberately Jareth kept trying to think of Sarah, of his human father

and of his home village but soon the images grew vague. He struggled long

and hard but he was failing.

"Yesss…" The voices cooed as they hissed. "That's right… Forget…"

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 6

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:08:47 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 6:

Hallucination

Jareth did not know where he was. He was surrounded by opulent beauty.

Candled burnt around him as he stood among many strange and exotic men and

women all in masks. Were these the voices that had chanted to him? What

voices? The ones that had told him to forget… But forget what? …A dream, a

bad dream about a creature unlike himself named Sarah…

Sarah…

"Sarah?" He called out. The dancers in this strange hall did not seen

to hear him. Sarah, why did that name bring him so much pain? And what was

he doing here?

One of the female dances gracefully waltzed by him in along and flowing

gown. She took him by the hand and dragged him toward the floor. Who was

this beautiful woman? Where had she come from? Was this the mysterious

Sarah? No. This was some sort of illusion, some hallucination.

For hours, in vague confusion Jareth danced with this stranger in his

arms. She was beautiful and graceful and she smiled slyly at him from behind

her wooden painted mask.

Slowly Jareth began to realize that the other dancers were slowly moving

in around him. He was gradually becoming claustrophobic.

He was growing frantic; hating the on coming eyes staring out from

painted faces and paper masks.

He broke free from the woman's embrace that started to laugh at him.

He ran to the walls and realized that he was in a great crystal ball.

He grabbed up a stool and threw it at the wall. The dancers devolved and he

was falling fast. Why did this seem so familiar?

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 7

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:11:44 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 7:

As the world falls down

Jareth was falling, falling fast.

He felt it. With a great convulsion he was back in his own body.

A strange man stood over him. "Welcome back, son."

Grall deliberately kept his thoughts concealed from his son, a power all

shape shifters possess.

The strange man helped Jareth climb to his feet.

"Uh… Thank you."

Son? That's right. This was his father wasn't it. And he was The

goblin prince. But who was he before? Who was his mother? How had he

gotten this title? What was going on? How did he know and why did he only

barely know his own name.

"What am I doing here? Where have I come from? Why can't I remember my

youth and why can I only scarcely recall that my name is Jareth?" He asked.

Grall smiled. "All questions will be resolved in time. You are Jareth,

Prince of the goblins and you are my son, that is all you need to know."

"Yes, but that is not all that I want to know."

"Come with me."

Jareth was very confused but he felt that he should obey.

There was a horrible smell in the air and the trees for miles around were

dead. It reeked here of feces and decay. A bubbling, gurgling, greenish

brown swamp was the source of this nightmare stench.

"Where are we?" Jareth asked as he held his nose.

"We are near The bog of eternal stench."

"The bog of eternal stench?" The name sounded somewhat familiar.

"Yes, that's right, the bog of eternal stench. " Jareth only vaguely

recalled the words "Bog of eternal stench." His grandfather had died here.

What a horrid place this was - The bog of eternal stench.

"Come-" Said Grall. "-let us go back to the castle."

Jareth only nodded. Why was he so confused? Why was his mind so

clouded? And why did he have such a strange craving for peaches?

Jareth's head was throbbing, he felt weak as if he had drunk too much ale.

He thought he might get sick if the headache did not go away and upon

thinking this the headache, the throbbing, pulsing pain disappeared and he

felt relieved.

A small bridge stood near the bog where an odd and obviously quite mad

fox like creature stood on duty though no one had actually given him the

order to guard that old ramshackle bridge.

Jareth heard this creature mumble to his "stead" a large, hairy dog in

old English that sounded like. "What, Ho, Ambrosias, it appears that thy

goblin king has brought with thee a quite confused heir. Me thinks that even

here in this lush and fragrant place that a great change is at hand."

Jareth and his father walked for miles and yet Jareth's thoughts still

were fogged. It was as if he were still lost in a vague dream. Why couldn't

he remember?

When they reached the castle Jareth felt oddly comfortable and secure.

Now this he did indeed remember. He was the goblin prince.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 8

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:20:49 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 8:

The Goblin battle

Jareth stepped in to the throne room behind this regal man, his father.

The goblins were not here; they had been dismissed, sent off to do some petty

task or another.

Grall sat down casually upon his throne with a sigh.

"But what was I doing at The bog of eternal stench, father?"

"You were sleep walking."

Jareth reached for his temples. "Do I do that often? I don't recall."

"No, not really." Grall smiled. "Come sit beside me."

"Yes, Fathrer." Said Jareth.

As Jareth walked by the old candelabra he stopped in his tracks. A chill

ran up and down his spine. At his feet crimson blood was stained in to the

carpet and on the table remained the bloodied dagger. Some fool goblin had

put it back in it's place as if it had not been the tool in the aid of his

beloved's death.

Jareth's mind was flooded. He stared at the dagger as if it burned him.

Then he looked at his father and then down at his hands with the leather

gloves on.

Raising one hand Jareth carefully removed the glove. He stared in horror at

he blood that stained his trembling hand.

He quickly placed the glove back on and looked to his father who

pretended as if nothing had happened though he feared that his son's strong

will had broken his spell of forgetfulness.

"Is something the matter, son?"

Jareth nearly growled. "You damned beast… Go to Hell! You tried to

take my memories, my past, and my freedom… ...All that I hold dear. You

tried to destroy me."

Angrily Jareth allowed a crystal to materialize in his hand. He was not

yet sure what he was going to do with it.

Before he could throw it a crystal had formed in his father's hand. This one

he threw at his son.

Jareth fell to his knees. His hands were shackled and he was chained to

the floor, the chains only allowing him to climb to his knees but no higher

then that for the chains were connected to an iron loop at the base of a

floor tile.

Jareth kneeled helplessly, as he looked at the ground at his own crystal

shattered against the old, dingy floor tiles.

Grall stepped from his throne and walked over to Jareth.

Jareth looked up at his father with what might have easily been a combination

of both fear and rage.

"You have it all wrong, my dear boy. I was only trying to protect you

from your pain and from yourself. You would have done something even more

impulsive and stupid then making that peasant girl, Sarah, an immortal." He

practically had spat the name Sarah.

At this Jareth's eyes went wide. The iron links to his restraints making

it impossible for him to rise though he tried to and the struggle only made

his father laugh a cruel and malicious laugh. Jareth did not like the

sensation of helplessness. He had never been in such a humiliating state in

his whole life. He hated it.

"I never wanted to forget! I wanted my pain! I wanted to remember! And

you know this!" Jareth cried.

"You would have made of your immortality an eternal damnation!" Said

Grall as he raised his hand and in anger smacked his defenseless son.

Jareth on reflex flinched but over all did not react to the sudden and sharp

blow. He was tempted to cry out for him to never touch him again but he

decided not to give that the satisfaction of a response.

Jareth composed himself as best he could in his pathetic position on the

floor. "Then so be it. It would have been my prerogative."

"No."

"No, you never cared if I was in grief. You only feared that you would

have lost your power you had over me. You wanted to control me, everything

about me, even my mind. You never wanted a son. You wanted a companion, a

human servant with human awareness and your personality whom would be your

eternal devoted servant."

"I only wanted you to be grateful and to help you to be formed in my, the

proper kingly image."

"Well, guess what, I am not you. And I am not grateful." He practically

had spat the word grateful. "I am nothing like you! And I will not fear

you, I do not love you and I will not be your slave, father."

"No." Growled Grall. "You are mine. And I do care about you. You are

my son. And you are the prince. And you may keep your precious memories if

you must. Apparently I cannot take them from you anyway. Damn you, your will

is as strong as my own and your powers are as great."

Jareth turned away in disgust and discomfort but then he turned his head

again to face his father. He looked up in to his father's eyes. He saw the

fear. Grall was losing control. And he did not like that. Jareth knew that

he must rebel against him and that the only way to defeat his own father was

by renouncing the power that he held over him.

"Let me go!" Jareth demanded.

"My dear boy, you are in no position to be telling anyone what to do. And I

will let you go, when you acknowledge the power that I hold over you and you

are will to accept my authority."

"Never!"

"Then you are going to be there for quite some time."

Grall walked from the room and left Jareth there, helpless and cold on

the stone floor.

Could Jareth use his magick in these restraints?

He focussed his energies. No, these chains were made by magic and bound

magick as well. He could not call upon a crystal to form in his hand. But

had not his father said that his powers might be greater then his own. He

needed to concentrate. He knew that he could do this if he only tried. He

could not make the crystals but the power still existed within him and if he

could find the strength to forsake his father's power then he could be free

and escape his father's control once and for all.

A day passed and then a night. It felt so degrading that Jareth had to

sleep on that cold floor with his hands bound like that.

The next day came and the warm sun beamed down on Jareth from an open

window. Birds were chirping and flower blossoms in near by trees were

blooming. Jareth could not move to walk to the window but he saw the light in

the topaz sky and he could smell the fresh pollen.

A small goblin came in with a tray of food, some bread and a fruit

pudding of some kind on a tray with a gantlet filled with fresh cow's milk,

this was set before Jareth in all his pathetic, uncharacteristic humility.

He did not look at the tiny goblin that served him but only whispered in

a defeated tone. "Thank you."

Jareth had not eaten but he had drunk the milk. Two hours later the

goblin returned to remove the tray and as he left Grall came in to the room

dressed in a fine white, ancient tunic.

"Will you admit to the truth of my power now? Will you finally give in,

you stubborn brat and be the prince that you are supposed to be? Will you

finally submit to me?"

Jareth bowed his head as if defeated. It seemed that he was about to say yes

but then he didn't. He concentrated all his energy and then started to speak.

"No."

"No?" Grall smiled in mock amusement though he was getting agitated.

Jareth looked at his father and began to sing Black lightning.

"In a slash of darkness that penetrated light,

In this obstructive intrusion as pitch, night

I must stand; I must fight,

You crashed in to my world like a fallen star

And seeming no light about you, I know who you are,

And I also know what you are,

And as darkness intruding light

I find that from within you yet I see a light.

And for all your hypocrisy I dare not let you see me

As I had refused to misjudge you, you misjudged me,

Like a flash of black lightning

A raven, fallen, bird, no longer on wing

I see an angel cry and a devil sing,

And so darkling, this is what I see

In you the light and your darkness in me,

And what we hate in the other is what we hate about ourselves,

And what's of value in us we cherish in others,

Light in darkness, as you had seemed to me, as I now sing,

You crashed in to my world, like black lightning,"

"Jareth," said Grall. "Give up. You can not possibly win."

Jareth ignored this.

"Through secrets untold and hardships beyond number I had fought against

your powers and won. I have as much strength as you do, Father. I will

take back my freedom and life which you have stolen away from me for my will

is as strong as yours and my powers are as great!"

"Don't' say that." Grall hissed as he stepped back. "Stop!"

Jareth renounced his father's power and embraced his own and focusing all of

his energy and with his own inner power he made the chains vanish. They

disappeared in to oblivion.

Jareth now stood up right and stepped over to the small stand where the

dagger still sat.

He looked back at Grall.

"You are no match for me, Jareth. I own you. I made you. You are mine!"

"No. I am a free man. You have no power over me, father. You have no

power over me!"

With that Jareth grabbed the dagger and with amazing aim he threw it and

it pierced Grall's heart.

Grall fell to his knees, shocked at what his own son had done to him.

Grall pulled the bloodied dagger from his chest and watched it fall. An

immortal can only be killed by his own hand or by another immortal.

Grall was dying.

He looked up at Jareth with a pleading gaze. Then he grew angry and out

raged. "Damn you, Jareth. Now, you have two lives on your conscience,

and there is even more blood on your hands then before."

Grall fell over dead.

Jareth coldly just looked at him. He waved his hand and casually a

crystal appeared. He threw this at his father's body and it disappeared.

"No, father, damn you. Damn you for making me know the truth. Damn you

for stealing my love and killing my innocence. Damn you and your entire

goblin court… My goblin court. For now I am Jareth, The goblin king."

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 9

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:24:41 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 9:

Within you

Grall was gone and Jareth was the new King of The Underground. Jareth

seemed cruel and cold at times. Some said he was heartless or was it just

that he repressed all the pain inside of him.

The Goblins eagerly accepted him as their king, forgetting about Grall as

quickly as one forgets a stocking lost in the laundry.

The years passed by slowly and Jareth lived as the king, lonely,

depressed and a bit hateful at times and constantly trying to prove his power

to be superior to all else.

The days came and went, over lapping each other in a repetition. Legends

on Earth were formed and forgotten about him and his goblins. Jareth only

left his Kingdome once in a while and only to seek those who believed in him

and his power. And for these people he did favours for, sometimes kindly and

sometimes cruelly, stealing children as the cruelest thing he'd do and

playing the healer for a sick child the kindest.

He did not care what he did or whom he did it for or against so long as

the people who saw this believed in his power and believed in him,

strengthening him.

Once a young girl who had believed in the old fairy legends fell in to a

lake and Jareth in a burst of sudden good intent grabbed her out of the

water. He had appeared suddenly beside her as the lapping waves tried to

catch her and she choked and gagged for air.

"I have you dear." He said as he carried her to shore, seemingly

untouched by the angry waters. "Don't worry."

As the young girl sat on the shoreline with Jareth, warming herself in

the summer sunlight, her long golden hair blowing in the wind she turned to

Jareth.

"Thank you. I am ever so grateful that you had been there but I must ask

of you now, pray to tell me, who are you, sir?"

"I am Jareth, the goblin king." He replied simply.

The girl had laughed at this statement, wounding Jareth's pride.

"I don't believe in all that nonsense about goblins."

Jareth smiled knowing that if this were true then he would not have been

able to have saved her. "My dear, I am as real as a dream. I am as solid as

darkness. And I ma standing before you am I not."

"Dreams?" asked the little girl. "You can offer me my dreams.?"

"But of course. If you believe in me I can."

Jareth waved his hand and a crystal ball appeared in a wave of cool mist.

"I am not sure I can believe in you, a goblin king." Said the girl

honestly.

"Well," Said Jareth to the girl. "Now that I see you and you see me. I

will believe in you if you would believe in me."

"What do you mean by that?" Asked the girl.

Jareth began to sing to the child Believe in me.

"If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

We'd find a way together in magick for that is what dreamers do,

If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I'd take you away with me for that is what I know how to do

And in a kingdom far away, that is where we shall stay

For in our belief in each other I'd find a love in you

As there is not another that can give the gift I have here for you,

I hold in my hand a gift from another distant land,

Where here at hand nothing is what it seems

And a crystal can hold your most precious dreams,"

He then began to rotate the crystal ball on his fingers. It's tiny facets

were catching the light and acting as unseen prisons beamed tiny rainbows all

over the young girl's face. At this wonder she laughed.

"If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I'd show you mountains of gold and treasures and wonder to behold

And you would always be young; we would never grow old,"

The girl reached out as Jareth held out for her the crystal. She wanted

her prize.

"If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I'd take your tears away and help you to seize the day

And we'd dream together forever in another way,

If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I would grant you the secret key to make all your dreams come true,

For no power is stronger and no love can last longer

Then that conceived in a belief founded for and by another,

Just believe in me,

Believe…"

"I do believe. I do." Said the girl.

Her eyes were wide with wonder as images of fairies and dragons and

creatures of mythical and enchanted forms filled the foggy crystal in front

of her. And then it showed her The Labyrinth.

"And…"

Jareth continued as if he had not heard and been filled with the power of

her belief.

"If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

This day we'd find Forever together and Forever is where we'd stay,

If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I would take you to the edge of the sea for I would know that you'd believe

in me

And you would see wonders beyond your mortal sense of a conformist reality,

Yes, darling, you and I would be free in a private land of fantasy,

If you would just believe in me as I would believe in you

I would sing to you of love and just of what I'd propose to do

If you would just believe in me as I believe in you,

For I do believe in you, yes I do,

Yes, Just believe…

Believe in me,"

The girl took the crystal and smiled.

Jareth, feeling that what had needed to be done had been accomplished

here vanished in a burst of glittering magick dust.

The girl sat on the shore until a young man, a poet by the name of Lewis

came looking for her.

"Alice… Oh, Alice dear… Where are you, love?"

"Oh, here I am, Mr. Carol." The girl called. "I have the most amazing

thing to show you."

She held out the crystal to her friend the poet.

"And who pray tell gave you that, dear?"

"The goblin king."

"The what?"

"And if you turn it this way and look in to it, it shall show you your

dreams. I thought you might like it… You know, for your writing. It can

inspire you, Lewis."

Alice gave Lewis the crystal and since Lewis was an imaginative and

creative man a lot of his dreams were materialized in that crystal and these

metaphorical images combined with Alice's fantasies inspired him to write a

children's book. I think you know the title.

In that same century Jareth had appeared to a man named Charles who was

writing a set of Christmas stories. Now Mr. Dickens had not yet written A

Christmas carol but he had heard tell of a tale of a Sexton who had been

wished away to the underground. Jareth helped Mr. Dickens get the facts

straight for his story The Goblins who stole a Sexton and yes The goblin king

is in it.

Jareth also inspired Hans Christian Anderson and The brothers grim with a

tale about the trouble Jareth had once with a young princess. The tale

though not contained in these pages was called The goblin princess. And

please do not let the title fool you, Jareth never really did have a daughter.

Also Jareth had appeared to the poet Christina Rossetti and inspired a

poem called The goblin Market about the mischief some of his goblins had

caused with two young girls here on Earth when tempting them with the famous

fruit from The Underground.

Also another poet wrote a poem simply Titled the goblins and this was by

Berni Writson.

And later in the twentieth century Jareth would appear to Jim Henson and

tell a special story to him.

It was tales such as this and Jareth's appearance to me that kept a few

to believe in him and also kept his powers from fading in to oblivion.

Soon encounters such as these grew fewer and fewer. And as the years

passed Jareth had less and less to do with the human world and Jareth did not

come and go from realities quite as often.

He knew as he had killed his father that he could not return home. And

he had watched from a distance in owl form as his father and friend had died

and their children and children after died. After about three centuries of

this he did not want to keep track anymore or could not.

It was simply too painful for him.

No one walked through his maze but the mythical tenants and their

children and children's children.

Hoggle was aging slowly but gradually. And not much had change din the

ever-changing maze for no one was there to care or notice or enhance the maze

with dissertations with their own imaginations with images and metaphors from

the Earthly reality.

Jareth was in such a state that he felt almost that he was dying. It

seemed that no one believe din him anymore. He did not exist within the

minds of anyone, it seemed, and this was draining his powers, nearly killing

him.

On Earth the twentieth century had begun (This was before he had appeared

to Jim Henson) and was now nearing it's close.

It was 1984 and over time in human disguise Jareth in the guise of

fashionable and eccentric rock stars had many male and female lovers all

relationships strictly based around lust and not of actual love. One of these

many lovers had been Linda Williams, an American actress mother of then

thirteen year old Sarah Williams.

Linda was dying from a wasting disease and her daughter and husband knew

nothing about it. Linda, being a great actress had convinced them that she

was fine.

Jareth had liked her though not totally loved her. And since Linda believed

in her he offered her a single wish. She wished to disappear form her

family's life and convince them that she was happy as she died.

Jareth complied, playing the role of Jeremy, Linda's supposed lover took

her away to live out the remained of her life in a paradise haven in a secret

part of The Labyrinth among servants and beautiful flowers. She died happy.

An elderly woman goblin known simply as The junk lady and a wise man with

a talking bird hat had watched over Linda in her final hours.

And as Linda had wished her husband and daughter only thought she had run

off with Jeremy, a big time producer from Hollywood.

Jareth in the image of Jeremy before taking her mother away gave Sarah a

present, a music box.

And as Jareth had handed her the box he had sung to the pretty young girl

for he did in deed have an occupational voice.

The song he sang was called The figurine on the music box.

"The Porcelain figure dances under the moonlight

To a song that she creates as she twirls through the night

Singing a song of love and of the eternal fight,

Wind her key and listen to me for she sings of our history

In her bitter, sweet melody, of life and its tragic comedy,

And of the way that it should be, she holds a secret that only I can see,

Listen to the music box song, It shan't take too long

If you would only hear her song, it proves that in love I was not wrong

And the dreamer was right all along, if you would hear the music box song,

Listen to her song tinkling away; Let the dancer dance and the music play,

Make a promise of love and let it stay, that is the only price we pay

If we listen to what the dancer has to say as the song with me shall always

stay,

Watch the illusion of dancers in the hall; watch them bow, one and all

Here the dancer answers the call, see her moving now, she shall never fall,

And as she moves on her metallic stand, I touch her cold and porcelain hand

And one more time I wind the key as to her I am God, this I demand,

And so are the rules of a child's fantasyland,

And so the dancer spins one final time to song with lyrics that rhyme,

And in my head the song is never dead so long as the dreamer is asleep in her

bed,

Good night my child,

Free and mild,

I shall play again the music box song of the old style,"

This little girl acted just like Jareth's long near forgotten, though

never totally forgotten love, Sarah. Could this have been his Sarah's

reincarnation? Well, if it was she was definitely too young to touch just

now. And did Jareth have the right to try and win her again, perhaps this

time sparing her fragile mind?

Oh, but even if it was wrong he still ached for her.

Sarah believed in goblins, a book describing the Labyrinth and al the

creatures in it and her own later adventures appeared on her dresser

mysteriously one evening. It was in the format of an old play.

Sarah wanted to be the girl, not knowing that this character was her.

Sarah's father remarried and soon the family was blessed with a son, Toby.

Ah, but Toby was not actually of Sarah's father's blood. Jareth, taking

on the appearance of Sarah's father had forsaken ten more years of his life

in impregnating Sarah's stepmother with Toby.

Now, what Jareth had not known was that Sarah's stepmother was part fey

and in so did not die upon giving birth as expected.

Jareth thought this to be most amusing and interesting and never told the

woman of whom the baby's actual father was.

But when Toby would reach manhood his father would come to him again so

that he might claim his birthright, as he would come to him once as a child.

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 10

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:50:02 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 10:

Thirteen o'clock

Two years had passed since Linda William's death.

It was time for Jareth to visit his son and the lovely Sarah.

He took on his old favourite form of the barn owl and flew out to the Earthly

realm. Young Sarah, now fifteen stood in a park and was quoting the book.

The bird fluttered it's wings from a tree branch in excitement.

"Through dangers untold and hard ships unnumbered... I have fought my way

here to the castle-beyond the Goblin city-to take back the child that you

have stolen... For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as

great…" The girl tried to concentrate and storm clouds slowly spread across

the sky. "For my will is as strong as yours… And my kingdom is as great.

Damn, I can't remember that line."

She pulled the little red book marked. The Labyrinth out from under her

cloak. "You have no power over me."

Just then the clock struck seven. Sarah was startled. She looker to her

dog, Merlin. "Oh, no. Merlin, I don't believe it. It's seven o'clock."

She began to run, under her long gown one could see blue jeans clearly.

"Come one, Merlin. Come on!" She called and the dog followed her as she

ran panting down the street.

Jareth in his owl form followed her.

Her stepmother stood in the doorway as Sarah ran up the porch.

Without a sound Jareth perched on a tree near the baby's nursery. Was he

really falling in love with Sarah?

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Chap 11

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:51:36 EDT

--------

Prince of the goblins:

Chapter 11:

Home at last

Sarah held the child in her arms. "Oh, stop it. Stop! I'll say the

words. No, I mustn't. I mustn't say… "

The child's cry beyond the din of the rain and the flash of lighting and

rumbling distant thunder was dreadful. Jareth had not heard the idiotic

goblins that were paying attention to young Sarah's childish and pathetic

rant.

She held the child out and up over her head like an over dramatic actress

in a theatre show. "Goblin king, Goblin King, where ever you may be, take

this child of mine, far away from me."

Jareth sighed in his owl form.

"Oh, stop it!" Sarah said. "Oh, I wish I did not what to say to make

the goblins come and take you away."

Her face went blank. She was going to say it.

"Oh, no." Jareth thought. "Please don't let my idiot goblins be paying

attention to this, not now, not like this. No, this was meant for later,

when she's older, not now!"

Jareth did not mind the idea of raising Toby as he could in The Labyrinth

but the idea of confronting young Sarah just now made him feel uncomfortable

and secretly a small fraction of his soul was intimidated by this girl's will

and strength.

Sarah spoke "I wish… I wish… the goblins would come and take you away…"

she walked over to the light switch and turned off the electric lamp.

"…right now."

Oh, damn it all, they had heard. Now Jareth had to improvise.

(For this story watch the film Labyrinth)

To: .

Subject: [labyfic] Prince of the goblins: Epilogue (My visitation)

From:

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 14:55:22 EDT

--------

Prince (King) of the Goblins

Underground: Epilogue

My visitation.

I was in my little Library, surrounded by books that were stacked on top

of books in this little room with the cream coloured walls and the tiny glow

in the dark stars and planets I had pinned to the ceiling just for the fun of

it.

Beside me was a cabinet holding countless horror, fantasy and science fiction

movies.

Above my computer, scanner and printer were two shelves filled with

modern horror novels. Several shelves lined the wall to my left holding

countless old, antique and out of print science fiction and fantasy stories.

A bed was to my right. This was near the door to the room. And the

closet door beside it was missing the knob, as the door had been swung into

hard knocking the brass knob from it's setting and the door itself missing in

interior lock because the old one had rotted away over a period of time, long

before my birth.

The old television set and VCR sat on my dresser. Cattycornered to this

and the bookshelves that were rising from the floor up like some strange

three-dimensional wallpaper was my old stereo system sat. This sat with the

record player (Still working), cassette to cassette recorder, old CD player,

and digital clock and microphone attachment. The old cassettes, Compact

discs and records lay piled on the floor next to this, most of the records

being of Queen and David Bowie, and the CDs and cassettes being of various

other artists.

I was very disorganized and one could easily tell that I had not raised

my own hand to clean this room or try to tidy it up a bit in months. This

was my private little sanctuary on the second floor of a brick building

somewhere. Though the window had been opened for the sake of a cool breeze

as a light shower of rain came in the thin blue curtains were drawn shut.

They draped over an old globe, still with the USSR on it that stood on top of

a section of shelves holding over six hundred random novels and reference

books to the occult.

On one of my stereo speakers sat the 1986 copy of the out of print book

Stardust, the David Bowie story by Henry Edwards and Tony Zannetta.

At my feet sat a copy of the video Labyrinth and all around were baskets and

milk crates with books in and on top of them for there was simply no more

room on the shelves around me.

A small white, plastic electric fan fell off the dresser, disturbing a

pile of CD's that I simply had been too lazy to place in to the cabinet under

the stereo system.

In a wooden chair with arm rests I sat in front of the soft glow of my

computer screen, ready to write down the story I know about Jareth's true

origination. "Prince of the goblins"

Just as I was about to type the opening lines a white owl perched itself

on my windowsill.

Thinking that this was merely a strange coincidence I ignored him but

then I turned back to look at the bird again after writing the first

paragraph, still feeling the presence watching me and he was gone…

Now a tall blond man stood along side me. He wore tight black pants. He

wore a sparkled frilled white blouse with a brown cummerbund at the waist.

This was a little too big for his narrow waistline, deliberately flapped up

over his navel area over the white shirt. At the collar of this shirt that

in-curved with a 'V' neckline his cicle pendent dangled on it's chain.

His hair was feathered and spiked at the top, spreading his bangs in a wild

and flamboyant style. His eyes were cold and his expression held a look of

an indeterminable sense in his countenance.

He wore black leather boots and his cloak flowed around him as in the

wind sparkles and sparklets dusted my Library's shag blue carpet.

I wished that I could make such a grand entrance, what a damned show off

he truly was.

I felt in the air his power; it hummed like electricity around him. And

yet he did not intimidate me. I had seen all this before.

I knew him in an instant just as he knew me. We had no need to introduce

ourselves to the other. We had met before.

"Oh, don't do that." He said calmly as he glanced over my shoulder and

at the word 97 document only compatible with Windows office plus for windows

98 and some formats of Windows 95 Plus.

I had been tinkering with this writing file this evening out of boredom for

all work I had need to be done today had been accomplished early and I felt

like writing this evening and not just my usual bit of poetry.

"And why not?" I said. "They have the right to know." I loved to

provoke him.

"No. Forget this; forget you know this. Don't write this down or I'll-"

"Be forced to suspend me head first over the bog of eternal stench" I

smiled as I said this for him before I laughed in his face.

He was growing tense. I could see it in his eyes. He was grinding his

teeth. I saw the fanged tooth in his moth bite down as he glared at me. The

faint lines of his face deepened for a moment. It seemed strange to me that

he was over one thousand, eight hundred and thirty four years old and only

looked about thirty-nine, maybe fourty years of age.

He was not used to this sort of embarrassing situation, I could tell.

I saw it in his eyes quite distinctly.

"All right. All right. If it makes you happy I'll leave out a certain

chapter. You know a lot can happen between 886 and 1986 and now. I'll leave

out certain things but I will write this, the main part, the important part."

"Fine, go a head. Half of them don't like you anyway. They won't bother

to read it and you know it. Ah, the irony that they would never listen to

you and yet…"

I grimaced just slightly at my failure in winning the attention and

approval under the identity of Raven with the Labyrinth E-mailing list.

"I bet this is just eating you up inside, isn't it. And those who do

like you suspect that you are someone that you are not. Oh, it is enough to

make me laugh."

"Shut the Hell up, Jareth!"

I grabbed up a small glass figurine from off of one of my Library's self

and I threw it at him, deliberately missing him by only a yard. I loved

being surrounded by books but the little knickknacks had to go and he was an

easy target.

He only smiled at me over this and stepped casually over the shattered

glass to stand only inches away from my face in front of me as I now stood in

front of my computer's desk.

"And if it's so damned funny why the Hell aren't you laughing?" I asked.

"Raven… Raven-" He shook his head. "You really should learn to control

that temper of yours. But you should know that they do hate you."

I didn't believe this. I only received about two hate letters a day at

this time and had made some casual friends over the list. They did not all

hate me.

"Well, then all right. Let them hate me. They don't know who I really

am. And they never will. It's only a game to me. It doesn't matter what

they think. They'll never know who or what I really am, they'll never have

the truth."

"Oh, but I do."

"And if I tell your story you'll humiliate me like that. Jareth, you

know why I keep it a secret."

"Yes, and so will they if you write this."

"No."

"Oh, yes." He hissed like a snake the word.

"Jareth, let me write this. I said I'll leave out certain parts."

He sighed. "You stubborn little-"

"Jareth, please, have some couth." I said.

"Well, 'Raven' what can I do? Will nothing stop you from writing this?"

"Nothing. And if you dare tell my secrets, the missing chapters will be

sent off later."

"Damn you." He whispered under his breath. "And what if I use my magick

to stop you?"

"Jareth, you know that won't work on me. I've studied the occult since

before your precious little movie was released. I can easily fight fire with

fire."

"I will pay you back for this one day, I hope you know." He said angrily.

"I know." I smiled. "But it's not going to be today, now is it?"

He looked at me coldly and then he waved his arms, spreading out his long

black cloak and he disappeared in to the night.

I smiled to myself. I think he likes me otherwise he would have killed

me by now either that or he's scared of me… Oh, well.

The End.

----------

Yours always,

Raven


End file.
